In her editorial for the first edition of BUWA, editor Alice Kanengoni describes a typical domestic scene: women in the kitchen preparing a meal, men in front of the television or at a table playing games. I was reminded of the funerals; weddings etc that I’ve attended where the men are either around the fire or in the house waiting for a meal, drinks, and the women are doing the work. Women themselves view their rightful places in society as being by the fire or the stove, cooking and serving.

As an adult woman, I wonder at my mother’s strength and energy in my childhood; she worked full time, just like my father did, her job was just as demanding as my fathers, and yet at the end of her work day she came home to cook, clean and help with homework. My father came home to his favourite chair, television, snacks dinner and a drink.

I remember whenever I was untidy or refused to cook, or did some other unwomanly thing she would start her reprimand with “musikana akanaka ano…” (a good girl does..). When I asked her why I had to be a good girl she would reply that it’s part of our traditions, how would I be married if I couldn’t keep house? My mother is a highly educated woman, smarter than anyone I know, and a strong willed, independent thinker.  But for her, who she is at work, and who she is at home are two different and very separate people.

In her article for BUWA, titled Contemporary African Feminism, Professor Patricia McFadden writes:

In very general terms, feminism as a radical thinking/ conceptual tradition has deliberately ruptured the boundaries of conventional, often reactionary knowledge production everywhere it has been practised, and has challenged conventional as an ideological practice, by arguing for a politics of transformation and of daily life.

She goes on to say:

Feminism is the rejection of and struggle against Patriarchy (as a system and set of structures and ideologies that privilege men and allot them various forms of power in all societies) and is also the celebration of freedom for women everywhere. As Stevi Jackson and Jackie Jones (1998) put it: ” Feminist theory seeks to analyse the conditions which shape women’s lives and to explore cultural understandings of what it means to be a woman.”

For many women in Africa, feminism is something that we practise outside our homes and our families. Our cultural understanding of womanhood is sometimes in direct conflict what we say in meetings about gender equity and social justice for women. Patriarchy is something we fight at work or in the streets.  At home not only do women accept it, they also seek to perpetuate it but granting privilege to their sons and insisting that their daughters become domesticated in the traditions of their mothers, grand mothers and great grand mothers. I think many African women, like my mother and even myself have struggled, or are struggling with the notions of being an African woman, a feminist and an African Feminist. We struggle to translate an academic concept into reality in our own lives, and often end up living two lives in compromise.

Kubatana recently received a donation of rubber shoes, plates and cups for a charity drive we were doing to give prisoners some of the basic necessities they were lacking.

It has been over a year since the SABC’s unauthorised documentary about Zimbabwe’s prison conditions aired. Of course when it did, we were all suitably outraged. In response to the public outcry, after numerous letters written to the media and a good salting of international pressure, the President issued an order of clemency in September 2009, which saw the release of 2500 prisoners from Zimbabwe’s congested jails. But a year later that outrage has been translated into very little change in those prisons. In fact, it seems as though enough time has passed for us not to really take notice of it anymore.

More recently, Associated Press reported on the case of a man who appeared in court with his intestines hanging out of his abdomen. The injury was caused when he was shot in the stomach as police tried to arrest him. This report not only reflected badly on the prison services but also the public healthcare services as well. The man had been take to hospital twice during his two month stay in prison, and had returned both times without having been treated.

This morning at a press conference about another outrageous dereliction of duty by government, Amnesty International’s Simeon Mawanza said “the people of Zimbabwe are free to hold their government accountable for its failures.” It is not only up to the government to do something; it is up to individuals, citizens to show and remind the government, even if it is a bad one, of where it is failing it’s people. Our situation will only become hopeless when we give up on ourselves.

As citizens it is our duty to ensure that the lives of prisoners, even those who commit heinous crimes are respected. In this instance our hands are not tied, there is no rigging and there are no threats that prevent ordinary people from doing something.

The Harare Residents Trust recently issued this letter to councillors in Zimbabwe’s capital city:

Dear Councillor

I hope this letter finds you well. Firstly the Harare Residents Trust (HRT) is greatly disappointed due to the fact that we just discovered by coincidence about your meeting today. As HRT, we anticipate that as our elected leader you side with the struggling resident of Harare. The residents of Harare are facing serious problems at community level with particular reference to service delivery. Communities continue to bear the brunt of a collapsed road network, street lighting, refuse collection, polluted water, burst sewerage pipes, overgrown grass in public spaces, dilapidated social infrastructure, and unsustainable bills.

Not to mention ineffective representation of residents in local government issues. Below are the suggested figures from communities:

• Refuse – $ 1, Rentals – $5, Water -$2, Sewerage reticulation – $2, Cemetery charges – $10

• Maternity fees- Zero, Supplementary charges – $1, Clinic charges – $1 for consultation

• Parking in CBD – $1 per day, Hall booking – $25

• Library fees -$1 per month, Flea market – to reduce by 50% current rates

• Council schools – to reduce by 40%

• Salaries and administration – the residents want the city to reduce by 20 percent its workforce in the 2011 City budget

The HRT through its community advocacy work is communicating the wish and aspirations of communities. The HRT challenges you to think seriously on these issues or suggestions raised by the communities. This will enable Harare residents to participate in the issues that affect them on a daily basis. This is critical as poor and unaffordable services being offered currently to areas are impacting negatively on the welfare of the vulnerable and disadvantaged members of Harare communities which include women, children, the unemployed youths, the elderly and the disabled to mention a few.

The HRT strongly believes in the principles of social justice, participation, transparency and accountability and these fundamental issues should be prioritized and attended to through your esteemed office. We believe in a “bottom up approach” to local governance rather than a “top down approach”.

It’s “TIME OUT” for ineffective representation at local government level, poor community service delivery and a lack of action on your part as our councilor. It’s also time for you to realize and appreciate that “leadership is more of a responsibility rather than a privilege”.

In an effort to help Zimbabwean activists become more inspired and creative in their work Kubatana.net organised a morning of screenings and discussions of 10 Tactics for Turning Information into Action and Favela Rising.

We published an invitation to apply to attend the workshop in our email newsletter and asked respondents to write a short letter of motivation detailing what they hoped to get out of the session.

We picked a small group of activists (ten people) from the letters we received, as we felt this would give everyone involved an opportunity to participate.

The morning began with a screening of 10 Tactics. We encouraged the activists to take notes during the film for discussion at the end. Many of the activists related that they were using some of the tactics already, as in the case of the Research and Advocacy Unit which produced a documentary, Hear Us/Tinzweiwo, telling the stories of women who experienced violence and rape during the 2008 elections

Major issues that were raised in using the 10 Tactics included verifying information, self-censorship in reporting information and how to mobilise people.

Many of the 10 Tactics require information from communities to organisations, and there was concern about how the information being used could be verified, and how this could be done in a timely manner. The group concluded that if there was coherence regarding a certain piece of information then it would most likely be true.

With regard to self-censorship, the group discussed how this had taken root within Zimbabwe and was affecting civil society, with some organisations refusing to publish what they considered sensitive or inflammatory information.

The first tactic, which is to mobilise people around a certain issue, was felt by the group to be at the heart of the difficulties civil organisations in Zimbabwe are facing. Several solutions such as involving community members in programming and supporting community based initiatives were suggested.

The second film we screened was Favela Rising. Following on from the earlier discussion we decided to focus the group conversation around a quotation from Anderson Sa: “I am a warrior of the people.”

This was effective in getting the group to consider their, and their organisations role in effecting change in the communities in which they work. The group considered how the strategies utilised by Afro Reggae could be used in the Zimbabwean context. There was also some debate regarding the efficacy of social movements versus non-governmental organisations. The group noted that NGOs in Zimbabwe have become highly professionalised, leaving little room for real activism.

Our goal in hosting this screening to was inspire the activists to approach their work in different and perhaps more effective ways. During the workshop we stressed the importance of giving solutions rather than listing the problems, which are already well documented.

At the end of the morning we asked the activists to fill a feedback form. In answer to the question Briefly describe how you will use what you have learned to improve the activities of your organisation the following are some of the responses:

• To stand as an activist wherever I go.

• I will help other activists on how best they can turn information into activism.

• The people in my community are suspicious of elections. I want their viewpoint to be heard.

• Facilitate members of my organisation to be able to carry out locally based and formulated programmes.

I am coming from a workshop called 10 Tactics For Turning Information Into Action. There is so much that people know out there but what good is knowledge without you using it? These Ten Tactics help to make sure what you have you use and you use it well. The second tactic is the one that really got me going. Witness and record. This is where the workshop happened for me I tell you.  I suddenly saw myself recording a corrupt police officer taking bribes from vehicle drivers under the disguise of a police roadblock. I could see him taking the money completely oblivious of me recording him with my phone. I could see myself going to an honest police officer and showing him my findings. As I give him that recording there is no fear in me. I am not even afraid of the system because in my dreams it is fair and just. I see him call all the relevant people trying to find out how he can arrest this corrupt policeman who has brought shame to his field of work. I even hear him thank me for being a brave and true citizen because for a moment there in my dream I was actually standing up for what I think is true and right and I have no fear. I see thousands of other Zimbabweans taking my lead and exposing all the corrupt people they brush shoulders with on a daily basis. Yes I did not fear a thing because in my dreams it is every Zimbabwean’s right to stop corruption. I even saw myself standing in the witness box and pointing him out to the judge and saying, yes, this is the man who has helped corruption blossom to a well-rooted tree. Then I came to down to earth, to Zimbabwe in particular, were the fear of the unknown grabs and consumes every day of my life. I came back and realized that where I live is anything but fair and just. Even if I had the guts to record such happenings how far would they go if a million other people live in the same fear as I do.

Recently, there have been increased calls from various quarters in society for investigations into the alleged corruption of high-ranking officials in the government of Zimbabwe. In an unexpected turn of events, new demands are emerging, seeking an extension of this exercise to include scrutiny of the activities of HYPer-Opinionated-Citizens-Readily-Ignoring-Their-Every-Sins or HYPOCRITES.  Statistics show that many of the country’s citizens subscribe to the principles of this body (TI-Corruption Perception Index).

In a letter – a copy of the five-page document is in our possession – concern was expressed over the acceptance of HYPOCRITES’ questionable and widespread behaviour, which was clearly corrupt and underhanded. “We have observed that numerous dubious transactions are undertaken on a daily basis between HYPOCRITES and public officials. Payments are most frequently made to traffic police and to civil servants who issue identity and travel documents”.

HYPOCRITES were also accused of paying large sums to obtain learners’ and drivers’ licences.  Part of the letter reads:

“These payments, which are made for selfish gain, also reflect the blatant disregard for the safety of others in society.  With the right amount of cash, untrained ‘drivers’ are given free rein to maim and kill innocent road users.  Of course, the traffic officer can also be paid to report the incident as an ‘unfortunate’ accident.”

The letter also queries how HYPOCRITES have the means to make these payments.  Given the prevailing economic conditions and meagre salaries in general, the amounts paid were not justified. Payments to physicians were singled out for being exorbitant for various practices – issuing inauthentic medical reports, performing illegal procedures and hijacking medical equipment from state institutions for use by their private patients.

“In many instances, the HYPOCRITES who make these payments are well-off. They do not pay off officials out of necessity but to increase the comfort of their lives. The poor do not have electricity in their homes, let alone the means to pay employees of the power utility authority to excuse their homes from being affected by load shedding.”

“We are aware that the examples we have cited are the least of the rot, which runs deep,” says the letter. “Giving money to an official for a ‘coke’ is just the tip of the iceberg.  HYPOCRITES have been known to build one or five mansions on illegally acquired council land and they regularly import fleets of luxury vehicles duty-free.”

The writers of the letter stated that they were aware that HYPOCRITES had shown great outrage at recent revelations and allegations of corruption by senior state officials. Some were even behind the calls for investigations. This profession of beliefs and opinions that the HYPOCRITES themselves do not hold or live up to was strongly castigated as insincere. “Only HYPOCRITES take stationery from the office for their children, and then complain that government officials grab national assets for their personal use.  HYPOCRITES buy pirated music and movies and then get outraged that government officials seize ownership of assets without paying for them.”

The letter concluded with a demand for a full investigation into the extent of corruption in the country. The sweeping exercise would cover government officials and citizens at all levels. “If anyone is found guilty of corruption, it is proposed that legal proceedings be taken against them all, without fear or favour!”